


Last Stand

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Episode Tag, Episode: s02e19 Bad Moon Rising, F/M, Songfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-05-05
Updated: 2001-05-05
Packaged: 2019-05-15 15:59:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14793551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Post-ep to "Bad Moon Rising"





	Last Stand

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Title: "Last Stand"   
Author: Tara Patterson   
Feedback is a wonderful elixir for the writer's ego!   
Rating: PG   
Category or Pairing: Jed/Abbey   
Spoilers: Bad Moon Rising   
Archive (if applicable): Just let me know where.   
Disclaimer: Jed and Abbey Bartlet are the creation of that genius Aaron Sorkin. I'm just taking them out to play for a bit. The song, "Last Stand" was written by Harry Chapin.   
Author's Notes: Thanks to everyone for all your kind words and feedback. I hope you enjoy the final installment of the "Harry   
Chapin Series" as I've begun to call it.   


_It used to be that old John Wayne_  
Would fight the good fight once again,   
Find the strength to bear the pain,   
Stand up 'til he'd finally fall. 

Today was the day. He'd told the staff about his illness. Their reactions had ranged from shock, to concern to betrayal. It was a well-known fact in the White House that both Toby and CJ felt betrayed by the President's cover up. 

Now everyone had to put aside their differences and come together so that the President could address the American people in a televised speech. The speech had been written painstakingly by Toby and was being uploaded to the teleprompter as the staff prepared. 

_But now it's not just movie time,_  
And now it's you that's on the line.   
And now it's you that's going to find   
If you can stand at all. 

Jed glanced around the sitting room of the Residence at those gathered before him. Elizabeth and Annie had flown down from Manchester to be here and offer their love and support. Ellie was talking in quiet whispers with Millie about school. It had shocked him when she'd walked into the Oval Office earlier today, promising to help her father through this. Zoey and Charlie were holding hands and making small talk with Liz. Those two had become his fiercest allies throughout this entire week. Abbey and Leo were also talking in hushed tones. His wife was making certain that his best friend was holding up under all the pressure that was now resting on his shoulders. Both Bartlets were worried that, as a result of Jed's actions, Leo might turn to the bottle again. As he put on his jacket, he caught Abbey sneaking a glance at him. 

God how he loved that woman! She was his rock and was prepared to stand by his side as he delivered the speech of his career- no, the speech of his life. Abbey smiled as she walked over to him. 

"Are you ready?" she asked, adjusting his tie. 

"As I'll ever be," he replied. 

Abbey put her arms around him and hugged him tightly to her. This wasn't going to be easy, but then again nothing was. If life were easy, there wouldn't be any challenges to face together. That was what she had reminded him as they laid in bed last night. That no matter what happened after this speech, they would face everything, together. 

Jed leaned down and kissed Abbey sweetly on the lips and then turned to his family. 

"Let's do this." 

_So you circle all the wagons_  
And you hide behind the trees,   
And you try to find some courage on your knees.   
When you heard the sound of taps played   
By the one-man band,   
You knew this is where you'd have to make   
Your last stand. 

As the President and First Family made their way to the Oval Office from the Residence, the Senior Staff had gathered in Leo's office. Each one of them was caught up in their own little world, thinking about how this speech and its ramifications would affect them professionally as well as personally. 

_And so, my friends, the last stand,_  
The last song from the last band,   
The last note from the last man,   
But you gave it all you can. 

The feelings that had hit Toby when he first found out last week had risen to the surface once again. He'd been lied to. It was a feeling one didn't get rid of very quickly. The pressure was on him to deal with the staff's reactions and to handle all the details of this speech. It all seemed surreal in a way. Not only that but the rest of the staff was angry with him for not telling them right away. Toby tried to explain that it wasn't his place to tell them, but their anger made it difficult for them to understand. He hoped one day that they would understand. 

_The cards came down to the last deal,_  
You're a starving man at his last meal,   
And the movie's rolled down to the last real,   
It's got an ending you never planned. 

Sam looked as if he'd taken it the hardest of all. He'd just begun to recover from the news of his father's infidelity when the President had made his announcement. All the feelings that he'd been suppressing regarding his father were now coming out in full force and were being directed at the President. Sam didn't know if he had a future with this administration once this was all said and done. 

_She's left you now, and so it seems,_  
You've tumbled down the last stream,   
And you've found out that the final dream,   
Can disappear so fast. 

Josh hadn't slept in days, trying to come up with a plan to gauge the public's reaction. In the end, he'd turned to Joey Lucas and asked her to handle the polling. He glanced across the room and noticed Donna sneaking glances at him. She was being incredibly nice to him, which wasn't easy. Especially since he'd exploded at her when he'd first heard the news. He'd stormed out of the Oval Office and slammed the door of his own. She'd come knocking, checking on him and he'd blasted her. It was going to take more than flowers to make up for it this time. 

_Watch it all just fade away, boy,_  
It came down to the last day,   
And then the last out, and then the last play,   
And you're alone at last. 

CJ ran around checking out the last minute details for the broadcast. At least she had these things to keep her mind busy. Busy from thinking about how the President, Leo and even Abbey had lied to her. But the person who's betrayal hurt her the most was Toby. This was the second time in a year that he'd insisted that he wasn't lying about anything. First India and now this. Of course the President's illness was a much bigger deal than India and Pakistan. At least now she understood why Toby had her try and find the leak about school vouchers. Still, she couldn't help but feel betrayed, especially by one of her closest friends. 

_So you circle all the wagons_  
And you hide behind the trees,   
And you try to find some courage on your knees.   
When you heard the sound of taps played   
By the one man band,   
You knew this is where you'd have to make   
Your last stand. 

The President walked into the Oval Office, his arm around the First Lady. The staff was lined up around the room, anxious to see history being made. Jed looked around the room and felt his heart swell. These people had taken a risk and followed him when there were others they could have served. 

_Well, so it was late last night,_  
She left on the final flight   
You watched as the last light   
Went out there in your soul. 

His gaze fell upon Doris Landingham. His faithful assistant for so many years. Even she hadn't suspected the truth until he'd told her a few days ago. She'd been hurt, but she pledged her love and support to the man she thought of as a son. Jed winked at her and was rewarded with a smile. 

_Took your look around the top,_  
For now you face the final drop.   
You'll go down fast and you won't stop,   
You found a very deep hole. 

The Senior Staff entered the room and tried to hide their true feelings behind masks of support. He knew how each of them was truly feeling and he wished like hell that he could take away the looks of hurt and betrayal in their eyes. Jed hoped that one day they'd be able to forgive him. 

_Say you're off on the last ride,_  
Remembering how she last cried,   
And you know that love had long last died   
In silence, not in pain. 

"Mr. President, we need you to take your seat," CJ said. 

She guided the President to his chair and helped him put on his microphone. As she turned to go, Jed placed his hand on her arm. 

"I'm sorry, CJ," he said quietly. 

Tears began to well up in her eyes and she fought the urge to cry. Merely nodding her head, she thanked him and left the room. 

_You lost your last race_  
Stumbled in last place,   
Too late to find the one last face   
Waiting in the rain. 

Jed adjusted the papers that were lying on the desk. He gave Abbey a thoughtful look, which she returned. She mouthed the words, "I love you" to him as he began to prepare. 

"Before we go on the air, I just want to thank all of you for being here with me for this. In the days to come, these past few days will look like a walk in the park but I know that we will all get through this together. Each of you is important not only to this administration but to me personally. I am proud to call each of you my friends and I thank you for standing by me." 

Someone began to countdown the seconds until they were on the air. The lights in the room were turned on, casting a bright clear. A red light went on above the camera and the director signaled for Jed to begin. Taking a deep breath, he placed the papers on the desk and looked up into the camera. 

"My fellow Americans..." 

_So you circle all the wagons_  
And you hide behind the trees,   
And you try to find some courage on your knees.   
When you heard the sound of taps played   
By the one man band,   
You knew this is where you'd have to make   
Your last stand. 

~finis~ 

Please let me know what you think. 


End file.
